The Beauty of a Lily
by Rikulover4ever
Summary: When Aeris stumbles into the life of a prince, she has no idea the power of her simple gift has upon him.
1. Chapter 1

The sky was shining with great brilliance today and she knew today was special. The entire town was chattering about the royal families visit to their town, she too had her own curiosity. Her mother used to often say her curiosity would get her in trouble and she did not doubt her mother. She walked into her quite house and set her basket of flowers down on her table and walked to her mirror. Once her parents had died she had slowly ran out of money barely sustaining herself by selling flowers from her garden. The girl in the mirror had long wavy brown hair, pale skin, and charismatic green eyes. The girl wore a simple white dress with pink shoes, she remembered it cost her a whole weeks pay just to be able to afford the simple ensemble. The girl in the mirror smiled and was truly excited about seeing the royal family. She leaned forward fixing what little make up she had on because she wanted to look perfect for when the family arrived in one hour's time. She walked out too her garden and picked the best looking flower and headed to town square where everyone was gathering.

There was loud music playing and people talking everywhere and she suddenly realized she was nervous. What reason did she have to be nervous, perhaps it was him. The queen and king had a son her age. She looked down at her white and yellow flower, she had been planning on handing it to the queen when she rode by but now she thought about him. She had heard he was a loner and quite but she had also heard of his gentle nature. Her thoughts were interrupted by the cheers of the crowd around her as the chariots approached.

There was so much going on but she finally could see the family. The queen wearing a beautiful blue gown that made her blonde hair glisten and her blue eyes shine was waving smiling at everyone. The king, holding his wives' hand, was waving also wearing the most regal of reds. In the back looking out over the crowd was the prince. He was waving softly, but she got the impression the only reason he was waving was because he had to. As they came closer she saw a group of girl was bouquets of flowers and other precious gifts for him and she once again looked at her single flower. She would not give up now though, she had already discovered her courage. They were finally in front of her and as she reached out to hand him her flower the group of girls next to her bumped her out of the way. The town had experienced a lot of rain lately due to the time of year and she, for the first time, wished it hadn't rained. The push had been enough to knock her off her feet and land her in a left over puddle from the rain. She looked down at her ruined dress and looked too her flower, the once beautiful flower was now decimated and destroyed stem with one petal left attached. A single tear fell from her face. "Stop!" She looked up wondering who had shouted. She heard the crowd go silent and saw a hand in front of her. Her eyes locked with ones of blue-green. She took the hand offered to her, feeling the calluses on the surface. She didn't have time to see the face before it turned to the girls beside her, "Are you so eager to see someone whom you don't even know to knock someone down? I despise people like you who are selfish and think of no one but themselves." The girls backed away and the boy finally turned to her. She couldn't believe it, Prince Cloud stood before her. "Are you alright?" She could barely think, he had the wildest hair she had ever seen in the lightest shade of blonde. He had strong facial features but oh she could never forget those eyes. She finally realized he had asked her a question, "Oh, of course your grace. Thank you." She smiled at him and looked down at her dress, "I'm sorry these girls have ruined your dress." She looked up slightly shocked that he even cared about her dress, "Honestly I believe I'm more upset about the flower I was going to give you." She looked down at the feeble flower she held and was surprised when the prince took it, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." She looked up and gave him a genuine smile, "Thank you your grace." He looked at her and said, "Come to the palace later and my seamstress will get you a new dress Miss…" "Oh it's Aeris." "Then Miss Aeris I will see you later." The prince got on a horse to catch up with his parents who had already reached the palace.


	2. Chapter 2

She walked into her house and removed her soiled dress and showered and when done put on her favorite pink dress. She pulled her hair into a braid and put a pink bow on it. She thought she was nervous earlier, but at least now she had reason to be. She had heard of his loner attitude and even his aloofness but she had never expected him to do what he had done. People had said before he had a gentle side but that was usually to nature rarely people. She couldn't help but wonder why he even noticed her, a nobody. She decided to delay no longer and, grabbing her basket of flowers, headed out the door.

She looked at the massive decorated door and was lead in by a servant. The servant turned to her, "I'll go get the prince, please have a seat while you wait." The servant left and she was by herself sitting. Her thoughts strayed to the memory of his eyes. She had never seen such a color. She thought his eyes portrayed his personality well because much like him they were mysterious. She would love to paint them perhaps if he-"Miss Aeris I see you have made it." She looked up and smiled at him, "Yes it wasn't to hard finding it considering it's the tallest building," she laughed. She saw a small smile on his face. "Oh I've brought you something, a gift of thanks." She reached down and picked up her basket, "I don't know if you like flowers, but this was my best choice." He looked into her basket and looked up at her, "Do you grow these yourself?" She smiled brightly, "Yes, I try my best to take good care of them." He reached in and took one flower and examined it, "It takes time to make such beauty, I do not have such patience." With that comment she noticed him shut down, his gentle nature leaving replaced with the more well known aloof attitude. Carrying the flower he said, "Come my seamstress awaits."

The seamstess' name was Yuffie. She was a kind and funny girl with a good heart. She measured Aeris' body with precision and knowing. "All done, now please mad' am please pick your fabric. She turned and was shocked at what she was offered. Before her were the finest in any fabric. She saw one fabric that was white but had light pink details in it. "This one please." Yuffie set to work and Aeris walked out of the room. She was curious about the palace. She wondered the hall until she came to a door ajar. She peaked her head in and was taken aback. The prince sit on his bed removing his shirt and on his back were multiple long scars. A gasp escaped her lips and she immediately knew he heard her. He quickly turned around and looked at her pulling his shirt down quickly. "I see you are done with the seamstress I will call for a carriage to take you home. Goodnight Miss Aeris." She looked at him and smiled softly, "Goodnight my grace." She walked down the stairs wondering about the scars and why he avoided acknowledging them.

Two weeks later she received a letter telling her to return to the castle for the retrieval of her new dress. She was excited about her new dress, but even more so seeing the prince. She walked to her garden and examined the new flower that had just bloomed, a blue lily. She picked it and headed to the castle once more.

She waited patiently for the prince and as soon as she heard his footsteps she rose. He was wearing a pale grey tunic set, his hair as wild as ever. "Ah Miss Aeris your dress is on its way here now." She smiled as Yuffie walked in carrying the most beautiful dress she had ever seen, "Oh thank you Yuffie it is most beautiful!" "No problem just don't fall into any more puddles," Yuffie laughed and walked out. She set the dress down and turned to the prince, "I suppose this is goodbye, I just thought I should thank you somehow for the dress and for everything you've done for me," She reached down and grabbed the blue lily from the chair and handed it to him. "It reminded me of you when I saw it, it isn't the exact blue of your eyes but it reminded me of them." She looked up and saw that same soft smile on his lips that she had seen before. "Thank you Aeris, it has been a pleasure spending time with you." She quietly noted that he didn't call her Miss. He walked her to the carriage and she watched him as the carriage drove away.


	3. Chapter 3

She sat in her room looking at herself in her new dress. It was beautiful. It had been a month since she last saw the prince and she knew that they would be leaving soon for their towns' palace was just a temporary home for any passing royal family. She took a deep and made up her mind. She would go see the prince today and thank him again for the lovely dress which she now loved.

When she finally got around to leaving her house it was near dark but she decided to go anyways. She slightly regretted her decision when half way there is began to rain and therefore soaking her. Luckily she had a jacket to cover her dress and keep it dry. Walking through an alley that would take her to the palace quicker she saw some men ahead of her, using her good judgment she decided to turn around and go the other way but there were men behind her also now. She knew something was wrong and was scared. One of the four men approached her, "You're the girl the prince gave stuff to right?" "He only gave me a dress sir." She was hoping politeness would make them go away. "Either way I bet you have money and jewels and we intend to take them, and what's your dress made of silk right that goes for a lot of money." They approached her and cornered her and a tear fell down her face.

She awoke in the ally alone jacket gone, dress torn just enough to cover her was left, and all her money and jewelry she had been wearing was gone. She had scrapes and bruises and found it had to stand up. It was still raining and it concealed her tears as she picked herself up and headed to the palace hoping someone could help her. As she walked she held her right arm, she wondered if it was broken. As she came out of the ally she saw the prince on the stairs watching it rain. Feeling drained beyond anything she had ever felt before she looked at him, "Cloud…Cloud." He turned his head seeing her and his eyes widened and he caught her just as she fell.

_Her hair hung loosely around her and it was so dark. She couldn't see a thing. She could hear the men's laughter all around her as she felt a hand stroke her cheek, "Don't touch me." The men's laughter only grew louder as she protested. Whey did all of this seem so real? She felt a hand graze her thigh and she screamed. "Please just stop!" She closed her eyes and remembered when she was little and she would lay in the patch of flowers. Her soft curls and overalls and the suns' warmth. The softness of the flowers below her. She thought she could hear someone telling her she was okay and she was safe now and she smiled. Of course she was how could anything go wrong in a world like this? She could smell her mom's apple pie and sat up and ran into the house and embraced her mother. Her mother continued singing as she baked and smiled at Aeris. Her mother bent down and kissed her forehead, "I love you Aeris." She smiled, "I love you too mama." She went back outside and saw her father drawing on the hill. She walked up and sat beside him looking at his drawing. Her father was an amazing artist, and he was drawing the beautiful apple tree that sat in their lawn. "Papa can I be in your picture?" Her father smiled down at her and nodded, "Of course my darling, go sit on the swing. She did as she was told and swung with a great smile on her face and watched as her father smiled and drew. When he was done he called her over and she smiled in delight at the little girl with the big smile on her face in the drawing. "Thank you Papa!" She threw her arms around his neck and smiled, "Anytime my daughter." He returned to the house and she remained on the hill. She looked around wishing this paradise to last but she somehow knew it wouldn't and it was time to face reality._

She sat up in bed and found a soft night gown around her. This was not hers and this wasn't her bed either. She looked around and saw a figure lying in a chair near her bed. She surprised to see that it was the prince and he was sleeping. She looked at his sleeping form and thought about how peaceful he looked. She moved on the bed and it made a sound and his eyes gently came open. They became wide as he looked upon her, "You're awake." She smiled at him, "It would seem so." He stood up and walked to her bedside, "Do you remember what happened two days ago?" She looked at him and closed her eyes and flashes of ripping, hitting, and touching came to her mind and she immediately opened her eyes a tear falling, "Yes." Cloud's face took on a look of shock and he reached forward and wiped her tear. "You are okay and safe here." She smiled once more at him, "It was you I heard in my dream." He turned his head sideways, "You were having a bad dream, and you had a fever I was trying to help." "Thank you, Cloud." He smiled gently at her, "You should rest we will talk in the morning. Good night Aeris." As she closed her eyes she softly said, "Goodnight Cloud."

_She could not think of a time when she had dreamt so much. Her overalls were covered in dirt, but she was having so much fun. Her mother had invited her to help her collect the fruits that were ready to be picked. Her mothers' bright green eyes looked so happy and her long brown hair glistened. She heard her father approaching and looked up to see him carrying drinks and snacks for them. She leaped up and helped him carry the snacks. She enjoyed the snack with her family and heard the distant barking of her dog Angelo. She ran to play with the hyper canine. They ran along the river by her house, through the brush, and the flower field and laid down in it. The dog rested its' head on her stomach and she sang the song her mother always sang to her, "I'm here don't you worry, I'll never leave your side, I'll be with you always, I love you my darling." She closed her eyes some promise just couldn't be kept. _


	4. Chapter 4

The sun crept its' way into her room and conveniently into her eyes. Strangely she didn't mind, the sun was warm and it brightened the dark room. The room was beautiful, decorated with the finest décor. She stood up out of bed and saw a white dress on the vanity. She smiled and looked closely at it. It was a beautiful white with lace details. There were white shoes below it and a small pink flower on the vanity also. She continued into the bathroom and washed up and put on the ensemble left for her. She decided to leave her hair down and glancing at the little pink flower, put it behind her ear and walked out into the hall.

She had seen the halls before when she first came here and recognized where she was, one door away from the princes' room. She walked slowly to the door and saw that it was ajar. She peaked in and saw the prince sound asleep. She remembered how peaceful he had looked the last time she saw him sleeping and this was no different. She thought she heard him whisper something and gathering up her courage she entered his room.

It was just as finely decorated as hers had been, but his belongings were everywhere. He had his clothes thrown about and his weapons on the table. She approached his bed and giggled. She had thought his hair to be wild when they first met, but she had never seen it before it hadn't met a brush. "Father?" She turned her head and realized he was talking in his sleep. She sat gently down on the bed and looked at him. "Father…no…hurts" Her lips turned downward, he was having what seemed to be a nightmare. His body twitched, "I'll do better…sorry father" She reached down and touched his hand, he had helped her through her nightmare and she'd help him. "Cloud." His body turned once more, "Mother…no…don't come." Suddenly he bolted up right and knocked right into her. She instinctively grabbed on to keep herself from falling, but except took him down with her. She looked up to see Cloud above her, "Good morning Cloud." He looked down at her and after a few moments realized he had her trapped and stood. She turned to him, "I'm sorry for coming in; I thought I heard you speaking." Cloud sat on the bed and she observed he was shirtless and blushed. Looking down he said, "It's fine." She walked over to the bed and sat beside him. Aeris could see the scars on him back from where she sat and she reached out and touched one. She felt Cloud tense under her touch but he didn't pull away, "Did your father do this?" He reached back and grabbed her hand, "Don't worry yourself with my problems, I'll get dressed and we can eat breakfast." He released her hand a moment later and she left his room with questions running through her head.

They quietly ate breakfast and he showed her the palace garden. He watched her look at the flowers and smiled, "We found the men who hurt you, I made sure that they will never be able to do it again." She looked at him curiously, "You didn't kill them did you?" He chuckled, "As much as I might have liked to, no." She wondered silently what he meant by that simple statement. She stood up and walked over to him and reached out to touch his back, "Then you can understand why I need to know." He looked down, "Come with me." He took her to a fountain where they sat, "I once had a twin brother, Zack, and we had been playing where we knew father said not to. We were thirteen and curious. We thought it would be fun to ride wild horses except it ended up with Zack breaking his neck. Father did and still does blame my carelessness for Zack's death." She touched his hand gently, "Cloud that was six years ago, surely he can not blame you for his brothers actions." Cloud looked down at his hand that was covered by hers, "Each year I receive a new one on my birthday for Zack." She was appalled, "Cloud that's horrible! There's got to be a way to stop him." Cloud smiled gently, "Being alone helps, nobody knows. I don't even know why I told you, I've never told anyone else." She smiled at him, "We have many things that need fixing we can help each other." For the rest of the day he showed her around the palace and she showed him the town. When the stars came up they said good night and she fell softly asleep in her bed.

_She was swinging and looking up at the apples had father loved to paint and heard her mother coming. "Mama when will Papa come back from fighting?" Her mother looked down, "I wish I knew sweetie." Her mother had been acting strangely since her father had left and she wondered why. Two years passed and her father never returned. She had traveled into a beautiful field full of flowers and horses. While picking flowers another child with crazy black hair approached her, "What're you doin?" She looked up into his blue eyes and smiled, "Picking flowers for my Mama." She stood brushing her hands off onto her overalls, "I'm Aeris." He smiled, "Name's Zack."_


End file.
